WOUNDS IN THE FEET FROM NAILS, &C. 245 



and the horse is so far recovered from his lameness, 

 as to be capable of work, the farrier in general 

 wedges the lame part under the shoe with hurds 

 and stopping, in order to prevent the gravel from 

 working to the wound. This is a very erroneous 

 notion ; the pressing of the hurds on the lame part 

 causes much pain, and will not prevent the gravel 

 from working between the sole and the stopping, 

 or hurds. In cases of this kind, the pain and in- 

 flammation have been so much increased, as to 

 make the horse more lame than at the first. To 

 prevent such accidents, the horse should never be 

 permitted to work with any kind of stuffing under 

 the shoe ; but should be shod so as to ease the 

 part, and give the gravel an opportunity of working 

 out as it enters. When he comes from his work 

 the foot should be well washed with warm water, 

 and afterwards stopped up with warm stopping 

 as before. But in the morning, or when he goes 

 to work, it ought all to be taken out with a picker, 

 made for the purpose. 



